The Valley of Heart's Delight
The Santa Clara Valley, which includes all of Santa Clara County (the largest city of which is San Jose) and a bit of neighboring counties, was once a great agricultural center. The mild, subtropical climate and 300 sunny days a year are ideal for many crops.
First it was wheat, then fruits
 Before the transcontinental railroad went in, this fertile valley was known for its wheat production. The seal for the city of San Jose displays a Spartan holding a big bunch of wheat. Once that staple could easily and cheaply be brought in from the midwest by train, though, things changed: it became cheap to bring wheat in by train. The valley traded wheat for orchards, and became world famous for them, especially prune and apricot, but also cherries and citrus, among others. (This was known as "the prune capital of the world" for several decades.) Vineyards and wineries sprung up too, though many of them did not survive the Prohibition.
 With so much beautiful produce, and with much of the rest of the nation struggling during the great depression, the contrast of how lucky folks were here made the moniker of "The Valley Of The Heart's Delight" very apt. The orchards were so picturesque in spring that organized tours to view the blossoms sprouted up too. The Blossom Time Tour company had it finely tuned to viewing the trees at the height of their blooming, which varied by crop. One tour began in Cupertino, ran through part of Saratoga and Monte Sereno, into Los Gatos over "Blossom Hill" (the tip of which is crossed on Blossom Hill Road close to Union Avenue), down Union Avenue through Cambrian Park, through part of Campbell and back into Cupertino where it had begun.
Fast growth and housing sprawl after World War II
 After World War II, the orchards began to give way to housing as many tract homes were built to accomodate the industrial growth. Several companies with their roots in agriculture remain here, but with a different emphasis. Food Machinery Corp., which had its beginnings in the Almond Blossom neighborhood (a former almond orchard, of course) in downtown Los Gatos, moved away from its roots as a company that produced machinery for the orchards to one better known for the Bradley Tank. The name changed to FMC and the relationship to the orchards is now largely forgotten. Orcard Supply Hardware was precisely that - a company set up to aid farmers in the cultivation, production and health of the trees. But it is now simply "OSH" to most of us and it is a cross between a nursey and hardware store for suburbia.
As FMC and OSH went, so did the valley - more industry, more ranch style homes, fewer trees. What was once famous as the "Prune Capital of the World" eventually became even better known as a high-tech and biotech capital - "Silicon Valley". Fortunately, though, some trees remain and many residences boast fruit trees in their backyards. Contrary to popular belief, the trees are not entirely gone.
Why Name This Blog
After The Valley of Heart's Delight...?
Yes, it could have been called the Silicon Valley First Time Homebuyers and Homesellers blog. That's probably what most agents would have called such a real estate blog for Santa Clara County - especially agents who are not from here originally.
But I am a "native" of the San Jose area, now best known as Silicon Valley, and I remember and love the orchards.
 I was born in early 1959 at O'Connor Hospital in San Jose, during the transition from fruit trees and canning to high tech and housing. As a child, I lived near Santa Clara University and I played in the orchards and climbed the trees along Park Avenue. My parents' yard featured several fruit trees: kumquat, plum, apricot and more. I have early memories of the women of the neighborhood swapping bags of cherries, apricots, peaches and plums, and then suffering over huge, boiling pots of fruit and sugar which were about to become jam or preserves, and later exchanging jars of the homemade goodies.
When I was a teen, my parents moved to Saratoga and had more land with many more trees. A large, acre and a half parcel was nearly completely filled with prune and black walnut trees. (During the medfly problem my brother trimmed them back over several weeks to try to foil the bugs - that made for a very long summer for him.)
As a teen, I enjoyed long strolls through many orchards which adjoined our home. It was peaceful, uncrowded, and beautiful. The blossoms each spring were a gorgeous blanket of color. I loved it.
And the mountains on each side of the funnel-shaped Santa Clara valley made it all the better because they are so different from one another. The coastal range, between the valley and the beach, is filled completely with trees (redwood, manzanita, many others) as it gets about 40" of rain per year - as opposed to the 15 or 20" on the valley floor. The inland range, atop of which we see Mount Hamilton, is dry and grassy. Oak trees find their survival in the crevices, where water collects, and the mountains appear to be outlined or shaded by these trees in the nooks. In summer, without water, it is a light brown. In winter, the inland range is a bright to medium green. Snow is sometimes seen there in winter too, and it is beauful to see.
 Growing up here, I had and have a personal sense of the valley as being a place with gorgeous hills, large meadows and trees to enjoy for their beauty, their space, and their delicious fruit. In many ways, it was like a cornucopia basket with the hills and the bay on the outside and all the beautiful fruit on the inside. For years, I resisted referring to this place as Silicon Valley, staunchly calling it the Santa Clara Valley instead. The name "Silicon Valley" made me think of the ugly two story tilt ups along Highway 237, and the tacky tract housing that was foisted upon us en masse without much thought as land-greed swept the valley. When I heard the name "Silicon Valley", it did not conjure up the beautiful place I loved. However, the high tech industry eventually brought me my husband, Jim, and over the years, many friends and clients with great diversity that has truly enhanced my home. That made it harder to hold a grudge. So eventually I came to realize that Silicon Valley could mean the population and the research and the plusses they brought to the world, and not the architecturally ugly buildings from Sunnyvale to Milpitas.
The Valley of Heart's Delight can coexist with Silicon Valley. I want to help promote the memory of the Valley of Heart's Delight too. Not only that, but if I can encourage folks to plant fruit trees and try to protect our remaining open space, and if I can foster a love of this valley like I have, it will be good.
So several of my real estate sites are named with this in mind. I know that people who have lived here for many years will remember the valley as "The Valley of Heart's Delight". I am hoping that the newcomers will come to appreciate it as such too.
Mary Pope-Handy's other main realty websites and blogs:
www.DelightHomes.com (PopeHandy.com)
www.ValleyOfHeartsDelight.com (esp for first time home buyers/sellers)
www.ValleyOfHeartsDelightHomes.com (esp for move-up buyers/sellers) + blog imbedded
www.Move2SiliconValley.com (esp for folks relocating to Silicon Valley)
www.LiveInLosGatos.com (blog)
www.BelwoodOfLosGatos.com (site and blog for a neighborhood in east Los Gatos) |
Before the transcontinental railroad went in, this fertile valley was known for its wheat production. The seal for the city of San Jose displays a Spartan holding a big bunch of wheat. Once that staple could easily and cheaply be brought in from the midwest by train, though, things changed: it became cheap to bring wheat in by train. The valley traded wheat for orchards, and became world famous for them, especially prune and apricot, but also cherries and citrus, among others. (This was known as "the prune capital of the world" for several decades.) Vineyards and wineries sprung up too, though many of them did not survive the Prohibition. 
With so much beautiful produce, and with much of the rest of the nation struggling during the great depression, the contrast of how lucky folks were here made the moniker of "The Valley Of The Heart's Delight" very apt. The orchards were so picturesque in spring that organized tours to view the blossoms sprouted up too. The Blossom Time Tour company had it finely tuned to viewing the trees at the height of their blooming, which varied by crop. One tour began in Cupertino, ran through part of Saratoga and Monte Sereno, into Los Gatos over "Blossom Hill" (the tip of which is crossed on Blossom Hill Road close to Union Avenue), down Union Avenue through Cambrian Park, through part of Campbell and back into Cupertino where it had begun. 
After World War II, the orchards began to give way to housing as many tract homes were built to accomodate the industrial growth. Several companies with their roots in agriculture remain here, but with a different emphasis. Food Machinery Corp., which had its beginnings in the Almond Blossom neighborhood (a former almond orchard, of course) in downtown Los Gatos, moved away from its roots as a company that produced machinery for the orchards to one better known for the Bradley Tank. The name changed to FMC and the relationship to the orchards is now largely forgotten. Orcard Supply Hardware was precisely that - a company set up to aid farmers in the cultivation, production and health of the trees. But it is now simply "OSH" to most of us and it is a cross between a nursey and hardware store for suburbia. 
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